Hiraizumi

Hiraizumi is a small town in Iwate, in the northeastern Tohoku region of Japan. During the reign of the Fujiwaras, Hiraizumi was said to rival Kyoto in grandeur and sophistication, but now all that remains are the temples of Chusonji and Motsuji, both of which are mostly in ruins at that.

Famed haiku poet Matsuo Basho penned the famous haiku quoted above, with the end result that now Basho is quite possibly more idolized in Hiraizumi than anywhere else, and you can't throw a rock in Hiraizumi without hitting a Basho statue, a Basho monument, an inscribed copy of a Basho haiku or at the very least a coffee shop waving its "As mentioned in Narrow Road to the Deep North!" banners.

Hiraizumi's largest and most famous temple, renowned particularly for its Golden Hall (Konjikidō) - which, unlike Kyoto's Golden Pavilion, is housed inside a large glass case. True to the name, the shrine inside is elaborately decorated with golden lacquer and mother-of-pearl, with three Buddha images. Entry a rather steep ¥800. 5 minutes by bus or 20 on foot from the station.